Emily Sue may have become the 16th contestant eliminated from the MasterChef Australia kitchen, but leaving the competition brought with it an unexpected challenge.
While she was excited to return home to her loved ones, the 37-year-old youth worker admits she struggled to adjust to life after the show.
“I was excited to be back home with everyone, but I was also confused about what to do next,” Emily tells TV WEEK. “I felt like a lost puppy.”
Emily’s time in the competition came to an end when the judges felt her Filipino-style fresh spring rolls failed to hero banana blossom in an internationally themed elimination challenge.
But while her exit initially left her feeling directionless, it also gave her clarity about the future.
“I really want to do something with food that helps disadvantaged young people and farmers,” she explains. “I’d love to do cooking demonstrations or collaborate with others to deliver programs that help with the cost-of-living crisis and teach life skills to young people.”
It’s a dream she may never have discovered had she not made it all the way to the Top 9 – an achievement she still struggles to believe.
“I still remember telling my partner I would be going home after the first day of the Top 40 auditions,” she laughs. “I also thought I was an absolute goner during Kirsten Tibballs’ pressure test. Making it this far has been surreal, and I feel incredibly fortunate.”
Emily credits much of her success to the lessons she learnt inside the MasterChef kitchen.
“The learning curve is insane,” she says. “Being around the other contestants, swapping recipes, learning from each other, and having access to all those ingredients and pieces of equipment felt like attending the world’s best cooking school every day. It was beyond my expectations.”
But, she adds, success in the competition isn’t just about cooking.
“You have to stay mentally focused. When you’ve got things happening outside of MasterChef, it becomes much harder.”
MasterChef Australia airs Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 7pm on Network 10 and 10Play.
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